Bruce
KO Wheel questions
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Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 106
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From: Clay Alabama
KO Wheel questions
I have an all original triple black fuel injection 64 roadster, 46k miles, power brakes, with KO wheels. It has been sitting for years but I hope to get it out and about soon. Recently I have heard and read about problems with KO wheels, especially questions of their safety. I gather this is mostly in the sense of their coming off going down the road. I used to drive this car occasionally and never gave the KO wheels a second thought. Should I? If there are safety problems with KO wheels, what can I do to avoid them?
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From: Granbury Texas
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Drifting
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From: Holly Springs, Nort Cackalacky / Jupiter, Florida
I too completely agree. I've had mine for some 20+ years now. I've had them on and off many times and have never had any issues with them.
Most difficult part for me is pounding the spinner(s) hard enough. It seems as though they are going to break off, yet I've never even had a small dent/scratch when using a correct Lead Hammer.
Good Luck with yours,
RK
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: 50 kilometers outside Oslo Norway
I always hand check the spinners on my car.
My knock off wheels are aftermarked wheels with a safety pin(going to change the pins on my wheels from aluminum to steel)
It says safety pin in the papers that came with the wheels when i bought them
I see other vendors call them anti theft pins.
My knock off wheels are aftermarked wheels with a safety pin(going to change the pins on my wheels from aluminum to steel)
It says safety pin in the papers that came with the wheels when i bought them
I see other vendors call them anti theft pins.
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I've been driving my 65 with real knockoffs for over 40 years with no issues. They DON'T come loose if installed properly. Put a little crayon mark on the rim lined up with each of the 3 spinner tips. That will tell you at a glance if they have moved at all. It will give you piece of mind and you won't be hammering away on them needlessly.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Central Arkansas
Things to do (and not to do):
Never trust anyone else to mount your wheels properly
Make sure you have the long lug nuts installed that are made for KO wheels
Get a 6 lb aftermarket lead hammer like the ****** Thumper
lubricate the threads and wheel/adaptor mating surfaces with anti-sieze lube
Do the final tightening of the knock offs with the tire on the ground and hammer (with the lead hammer) directly on the knockoff spinner (no blocks of wood, etc in between)
KOs tighten counterclockwise on the pass side and clockwise on the driver side. But - a few will argue for the reverse. As long as the knockoff is properly tightened it probably doesn't matter. If it isn't tight then it just matters if you would rather see the spinner fly off on acceleration or braking.
Never trust anyone else to mount your wheels properly
Make sure you have the long lug nuts installed that are made for KO wheels
Get a 6 lb aftermarket lead hammer like the ****** Thumper
lubricate the threads and wheel/adaptor mating surfaces with anti-sieze lube
Do the final tightening of the knock offs with the tire on the ground and hammer (with the lead hammer) directly on the knockoff spinner (no blocks of wood, etc in between)
KOs tighten counterclockwise on the pass side and clockwise on the driver side. But - a few will argue for the reverse. As long as the knockoff is properly tightened it probably doesn't matter. If it isn't tight then it just matters if you would rather see the spinner fly off on acceleration or braking.
Le Mans Master
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KOs tighten counterclockwise on the pass side and clockwise on the driver side. But - a few will argue for the reverse. As long as the knockoff is properly tightened it probably doesn't matter. If it isn't tight then it just matters if you would rather see the spinner fly off on acceleration or braking.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: 50 kilometers outside Oslo Norway
I have brand new spinners that i am going to put on and have the old spinners rechromed
When taking off and tightening the wheels i though that i will use the tool on the picture
When taking off and tightening the wheels i though that i will use the tool on the picture
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Central Arkansas
That arrow just tells you which way to spin it on or spin it off. It doesn't prevent you from installing the adaptor and spinner on either side of the car. A number of people like to run them the reverse of the factory instructions (I'm not one of them). I've heard it here and I've heard it on the Cobra Forum. One of their arguments appears to be that braking centrifugal force (allegedly acting to tighten the spinner) is greater than acceleration centrifugal force.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2011
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From: Australia
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,136
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From: Ho-Ho-Kus NJ
Things to do (and not to do):
Never trust anyone else to mount your wheels properly
Make sure you have the long lug nuts installed that are made for KO wheels
Get a 6 lb aftermarket lead hammer like the ****** Thumper
lubricate the threads and wheel/adaptor mating surfaces with anti-sieze lube
Do the final tightening of the knock offs with the tire on the ground and hammer (with the lead hammer) directly on the knockoff spinner (no blocks of wood, etc in between)
KOs tighten counterclockwise on the pass side and clockwise on the driver side. But - a few will argue for the reverse. As long as the knockoff is properly tightened it probably doesn't matter. If it isn't tight then it just matters if you would rather see the spinner fly off on acceleration or braking.
Never trust anyone else to mount your wheels properly
Make sure you have the long lug nuts installed that are made for KO wheels
Get a 6 lb aftermarket lead hammer like the ****** Thumper
lubricate the threads and wheel/adaptor mating surfaces with anti-sieze lube
Do the final tightening of the knock offs with the tire on the ground and hammer (with the lead hammer) directly on the knockoff spinner (no blocks of wood, etc in between)
KOs tighten counterclockwise on the pass side and clockwise on the driver side. But - a few will argue for the reverse. As long as the knockoff is properly tightened it probably doesn't matter. If it isn't tight then it just matters if you would rather see the spinner fly off on acceleration or braking.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
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From: Greenville, Indiana
That arrow just tells you which way to spin it on or spin it off. It doesn't prevent you from installing the adaptor and spinner on either side of the car. A number of people like to run them the reverse of the factory instructions (I'm not one of them). I've heard it here and I've heard it on the Cobra Forum. One of their arguments appears to be that braking centrifugal force (allegedly acting to tighten the spinner) is greater than acceleration centrifugal force.
For five years now. No pins. No magic markers. No whacks between drives.You have forces in both directions on the rear wheels so I don't see where it matters which side you put the adaptors on. On the rear wheels, acceleration works one way, braking works the other. The thing overlooked is, the wheels are locked down by the spinners and the braking/acceleration has no effect on them.
You installation advice is excellent and anyone following this should have NO problem with wheels coming loose.